Healthy Lifestyles Program

Reach:

NT

Focus area:

Indigenous

Status:

Current

Overview

The Healthy Lifestyles Program, provided by Miwatj Health Aboriginal Corporation in the Northern Territory, aims to develop a sustainable base of activities, knowledge and resources in communities to help promote smoke-free communities and physical fitness.

The program employs a number of local Yolngu as tobacco workers in the communities across the region. These workers engage the community in a range of activities such as:

raising awareness about the dangers of smoking

supporting quit attempts

advocating for smoke-free spaces

reducing exposure to passive smoking

delivering direct messages about healthy living.

A key strength of the Healthy Lifestyles Program approach is that the strategies are targeted to local needs and implemented by a workforce with detailed understanding of the unique context of their communities.